1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrically operable vehicles and in particular to means for controlling the acceleration and braking of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In U.S. Letters Pat. No. 4,008,423 of Clinton C. Christianson et al, which patent is owned by the assignee hereof, an improved electrically propelled vehicle is disclosed having a direct current drive motor operated from a propulsion battery of the vehicle. The vehicle is adapted to be operated both at low speed and high speed by different modes of operation of the motor.
Robert F. Bourke, in U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,938,020, which patent is owned by the assignee hereof, discloses a charger circuit for an accessory battery in such an electrically propelled vehicle.
In U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,946,299, owned by the assignee hereof, Clinton C. Christianson et al disclose a battery state of charge gauge including an improved circuit for detecting and indicating the actual state of charge of the storage battery of the vehicle.
Clinton C. Christianson et al, in U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,958,173, which patent is owned by the assignee hereof, disclose a power converter employing non-saturating interphase transformer means for providing an output voltage having a level controlled in response to an external control signal.
It is further conventional in vehicles to utilize hydraulic brakes for braking the movement of the vehicle. Such brakes are conventionally energized by operation of a foot pedal by the operator of the vehicle available in an operator's space portion of the vehicle. Further, it is conventional in vehicles to provide an accelerator foot pedal which is connected to the propulsion motor by suitable transducer means for controlling the speed and driving power of the vehicle. In electrically operated vehicles, the speed and power of the motor may be controlled by a potentiometer having a rotatable control shaft.